Doughnut machine



w. R. come 2,362,191

DOUGHNUT MACHINE Filed April 5, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 7, 1944.

Nov. 7, 1944. i w. R. coYNE 2,362,191

DOUGHNUT MACHINE Filed April 5, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 figg-7 of 1 l hmm/W10@ "1 William R. cogne 111 72 i 109 MMM 55% .the channel.

Patented Nov. 7, 1944*- f 2,362,191 DOUGHNUT MACHINE William R. Coyne, Minneapolis, Minn.Z assigner to 4Dough-King, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application1 April 5, 1943, serial No. 481,830

' 1o claims. `(C1. csa-4406 My invention relatesto doughnut vmachines and particularly to doughnut machines in which the doughnuts are progressed along a channel or way in a kettle throughout `a circuitous course by means of the flow of the cooking liquid.

An object of the invention resides in providing a doughnut machine of such character in which the rate of circulation of the cooking liquid is accurately controlled.` l I Anothery object ofthe invention resides in prol viding a simple vand practical construction for the positive and effective circulation of the cooking liquid.

A feature ofthe invention resides in providing a motor for operating the circulating device of the invention and in constructing the circulating device so that the same will function with a relatively high speed motor.

An object of the invention resides in constructing the circulating device with an impeller immersed within the liquid and carried by a vertically extending shaft .projecting out of the liquid and to which the motor is attached.

Another object of the invention residesin pro-l viding an impeller having blades arranged to act upon the cooking liquid in themanner of a cam or wedge. A

A still further object of the invention resides in constructing Y. the impeller with one or morongo blades arranged in an up and down direction and With the innermost edge of each blade in advance of a radius extending through the outermost edge of the blade.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a plate having an inlet' opening and extending across the way or channel in the cooking kettle and indisposing the impeller adjacent said opening. f

An object ofthe invention resides in adjustablyi 40 mounting the impeller for movement toward and from said blade to vary the volume of the cooking liquid moved by the propeller and the resulting rate of travel of the circulating liquid in Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/or described.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan sectional-view of a doughnut; machine illustrating an embodiment of my invention. f

Fig. 2 is an elevational sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig'.l 1 and drawn to a greater scale. 55

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional'view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2. f

In the drawings, I haveshown a doughnut machine A whichv consists of a case I0 constructed with end walls Il and I2 and side walls I3 and I4 connected therewith. The case includes uprights I5 situated at the outer corners of the same and which extend throughout the height of the caseand to which the various walls are attached. The various parts of the doughnut machine are supported on a framework I1,'partly shown in Fig. 2. Within the case ID is disposed a cooking kettle I8 which is supported on'the framework I1. The keine la is constructed with a bottom I9 and with vertical Walls 2I extending upwardly therefrom. The vertical Walls are connected at their upper ends with upper walls 22 and the various walls vare so arranged asto lform a channel 23 which extends throughout the major portion of the kettle and which provides a way along 'which the doughnuts may travel. The kettle I8`hasY one corner of the same removed, as designated 'at 24, leaving a main portion 25 of the width of the case I 0 and of a' portion of the length thereof. This construction provides an extension 28 to the kettle which extends up to theend wall I2. Kettle I8 is constructed with a ledge 21 (Fig. 2) extending about the margin of the same which terminates in a lip 28 projecting upwardly from the extreme edge thereof. A guard 29` on the case I 0 issues inwardly from the'walls thereofand overlies the lip 28, thereby protecting the same and at the same timeA being spaced therefrom to retard the transmission of heat fromthe kettle to the case. The kettle I8 is supported on .the framework I1 by means of screws 3l)l whichv are threaded into bosses 3| formed on said kettle. g

, The channel 23 is arranged to provide a straight run 32 whichcommences in the extension 26 and follows alongv the wall I3 in closeproximity thereto. The channel v23, at the end ofthe run 32, makes a curve 33 which leads into a transverse run 34 extending along the wall I I. This run connectswith a sharp curved portion 35 which,

in turn, is connected to another straight run 3S.

The run 36 follows closely along the wall I4. The run 36 is connected to a curved run 31 extending up to the end of the major portion 25 of the kettle at the corner 24 thereof. The run 31 is connected to an S-shaped run 38generally extending longitudinally of the kettle and disposed adjacent the run 36 and extending in the opposite direction. The S-shaped run 38 is connected with another transverse run 39 which follows along the run 34. Run 39 is connected through a sharp curved portion 4| with another longitudinal run 42 disposed adjacent the run 32 and extending in the opposite direction therefrom. The run 42 discharges into a reservoir 43 which is merely an enlargement of said run. From this reservoir, a short run 44 is provided which is connectedby means..of. a curvedrun .45 .with the beginningof -theirun32. A portion o`f1the .reservoir 43, the run 44 and the run 45 and the beginning of the run 32 are al1 disposed in the extension 26 of kettle I8.

The major portion of the kettle I8 is.-.enolosed by means of a hood 46. This hood utilizes .the

uprights I at the end wall'II and twoother uprights 41 which are attachedto the case at the locality of the end of the portion thereof. The construction of the hood 45,not forming any particular feature of the inventionfhasenot been shown in detail, though it can be readily "comprehended that .any :fsuitable construction may be used for the purpose.

y1 Situated at v`the beginning .zot :the :run 32 of `11n* therun of the kettle =I`8ris arranged @a twisted atubular turner NL51. .This turner inverts 1 the 'doughnuts' after: the same'.l'iavezbeen-:cookedta f predetermined length of; time, =so`thatesaidxdoughnuts may be. cooked: equally on. bothz-sideslthereof --Such devices ,being "well known .in the art, :.the

' turner v51 willnotzbe .described finedetaildn. this .'application.

For removingthe. cooked `doughnuts from the machinaeanffejector:l58i.isgernployed .which .fisadis- `posedfintherun 42 in:the';channel 23. This-ejector comprises afshaft .59 .whichisfcontinuously drivenfrom the; transrmssion'f` within the housing 56. This eshaftfhaszmounted ,onrit amumberx of cranks-5 I. .Aset of toothedblades'are mounted 4:on` the endseoffsaid. cranksfand arefadapted'lto be alternately raised .andfloweredfas the shaft rotates. .A correspondingset .of .blades =.-54 are mounted 4on the .shafta properland remain f .sta-

tionary. The lower ends-of ally of :.tlieblades rest upon a` rest {l5-.which is mounted ontheibottoni.. of thekettlef I8. .It.will readilyebe: comprethended that as'the -`doughnuts reach-thasaid blades, `the doughnuts .tare ,elevated z--and ,progressed upwardly :.andnoutwardlyeof :the v.kettle I8. The ejector 58 is disposed ywithin:.faztrough 56 .which returns anycooking liquid rremoved fromr the-.doughnuts .backintothe .kettle Iz :and

which also discharges 1 the doughnuts from f the machine.

In the runs34.and-.-.39 :'-of :the :kettle `El are mounted two control-:devices 48.-.andl`49. :These control devices. are operated. by a shaft 5 I-..driven '1" `from the-transmissionwithin thecase. .These control devices. control. thef rateof .travel..of..the doughnuts to the turner'.51.-.and..to..the ejector--58 respectively. Such. devices,y not. for-mingfanyI par- `ticular feature of,the .finvention,.have `nom-been shown in detail in this..application.

"The bottom. I9 of channel .Z3-,slopes .downwardly .in a'direction away-.from the doug-linut `"former'52, .being at .aLhighervfelevation.fatt-the beginningof the channel,.as.indicatedat 1I:-.in

,the invention .in any .suitable manner. :transmission '85 includes .a vertically extending the bottom I9, form a well 16 .which'oonnects the reservoir'43 with the run 44 of channel 23. The

.opening 14 in the portion 13 of wall 2l serves as an inlet to the well. 16. In the bottom I9 of kettle :.I'8is1formed a ram 11 which connects the wall 15 with the portion 1I of said bottom. Extendlin-g `acrossthe uppermost portion of the well 15 'is'aj1plate1'8 whichis set into a rabbet 19 formed in'-'the`kettle atthe uppermost portion of said well. This;plate;:has an opening 8| in it through whichthe cooking liquid is discharged into the run44 of Vthe channel 23.

-Circulation :ofthe cooking liquid'l inthe channel -.23isprocured `luy-means Vof 'a circulating de- Avice indicated. in itsfentirety bythe reference numeral..8.2. This ,device comprisesfanimpeller 83 situated immediately. abovethe .plate .18,- a motor .,841 and. a` transmission mechanism. 85 :connected therebetween. `These partswillnow be described in-detail Overlying the upper portionof.the-extension 7.9 .otkettlel is a.,cover,;plate 8G. vThis cover ,platel hasan opening. 81 .init ,superimposing the openingl I in plate 41.8 andconcentric therewith. The plate "85 is supported on the framework of The shaft 88 which is contained .within ,a `tubular 4housing 89 extending throughthe openings? attached 'to Ia Yflange 92 which: overlies the` plate 8G and-issecured-thereto by'means of cap screws ,45 93. The 'flange 92`has mounted ,on it .a reticulate ltects vand guards the motor 84. lvlotorild has a 'shaft' 98 .which isv connected by-means -cfa -coupling 99wi`th`the upperendfof'the shaft 8B.

' an outwardly extending flangef95.

case 94-which isprovided at its upper end with IThe electric motor 84 is supported on the frame ,94;and. secured thereto. -A reticulatefguard 95is secured to the flange by-v means of screws 191 eindpro- This coupling is disposed lwithinthe case 94.

`-.The impeller- 83 is best shown-in Fig. y2 and `consists ofv two plates` I9I and |02 which are held :inspaced relation'by-means ofi-a number of :blades H33l extending Ibetween'the-same and rigidly secured thereto as by brazing or welding.

:These blades'areangularly disposed with rela- :tion: ftov the radii passing through the `outer edges thereof. 'Thedirection of rotation of the shaft ..88 isiruiicatedby the arrow in Fig. 3 and it will .beznoted-.thatthe innermost edgei Ill4v of each of said blades is disposed in advance ofthe radius ...passing through the' outermost edge'. H35' thereof.

This causes'the saidbladesito act as cams or .wedges forforcing the cooking liquid.4 outwardly and secure circulation thereof. .The vimpeller 33 is provided with a hub |06 secured tothe uppermost-plate IBI 7and'having'a bore HB1-therein through which shaftf88 extends. `"lhehub IDG is adjustably mounted on the end of the shaftil by .means .of1 a setv screw. I 981 `which-- is threaded into said hub and.- engageswsaidf shaft. A. conical 'deflector |09 on Vthe hub |06 extends into the space between the two plates I I and |02 and directs `the cooking liquidentering the impeller radially towardl the` blades |03.

An opening III formed in the plate 402,' directly overlies the opening 8l in the plate 'I8 and is concentric therewith.,

In the operation of the device, rotation of the impeller 83 causes the cooking liquid to be imof the channel and back into the reservoir.` Byv adjusting the impeller 83 on the shaft 88 vertically, the distancebetween the lowermost plate |02 of saidimpeller and the plateI8 at the top of the well I6 can be varied. By means of such variation, the amount of cooking liquid moved by theimpeller can be alteredto give any desired ve- I locity to the cooking liquid in the channel 23.

Thus, the rate of iiow in the cooking channel can be fairly accurately controlled, so that sufficient velocity is procured tobring the doughnuts up to the control `devices 48 and 49 in the required length of time and without pressure so great as to cause the'doughnuts to vbecome ilattened or lose their rotundity- The advantages of my invention are manifest. An extremely simpley and practical construction is provided by means of which the cooking liquid in doughnut machines may be circulated. With my invention, a high speed motor may be used without causingundue agitation of the cooking liquid. In a doughnut machine constructed in accordance with my invention, breaking down of the cooking liquid through aeration caused by undue agitation and aeration of the cooking liquid is entirely' prevented. Adjustments of the Aflow of the cooking liquid can be procured by raising the impeller with reference to the dividing plate having the discharge opening. By removal of the circulating means as a unit, the entire device may be readily cleaned and inspected. The impeller, being entirely immersed within the cooking liquid, is not affected by carbon deposits and will operate for an exceedingly great length of time without attention.`

Changes in the speciiic form of my invention, as herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, whatl I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In adoughnut machine. means forming an open way along which the doughnuts are progressed through circulation of the cooking liquid, means forming a vertically extending closed pas sageway between the beginning and end of said way having a circular outlet, a vertically extending shaft concentric with said outlet, an impeller carried by said shaft and having a plurality of circumferentially disposed blades encircling said outlet at a locality above the same, said blades extending in an up and down direction and being angularly disposed relative to radii extending through the outermost edges thereof, the innermost edges of said blades leading the outermost beginning of the way. n

2. In a doughnut machine, means formmg an open wayl along which the` doughnuts are progressed through circulation of the coo-king liquid,

means forming a vertically extendingclosed pasf sageway between the beginning and end of said way having a circular outlet, a vertically extending shaft concentric with said outlet, an impeller carried by said shaft and having a plurality of circumferentially disposed blades encircling said Aoutlet at a locality above the same, said blades extending in an up and down direction and being angularly disposed relative to radii extending through the outermost edges thereof, the innermost edges of said blades leading the outermost edges thereof, said bladesdischarging into the beginning of the way and a plate at the upper- `most ends of said blades, said plate projecting outwardly beyondvthe outermost edges of said blades.` v

3. In a doughnut machine, means forming an open way along which the doughnuts are progressed through circulation of the cooking liquid, means forming a vertically extending closed 'blades extending in an up and down direction and discharging laterallyinto the beginning of said way.

4. In a doughnut machine, means forming an open way along which the doughnuts are progressed through circulation of the cooking liquid, means forming a vertically extending closed passageway between the beginning and end of said way having a circular outlet, a vertically extending shaft concentric with said outlet, an impeller carried by said shaft and having a plurality of circumferentially disposed blades encircling said outlet at a locality above the same, said blades extending in an up and down direction, a ring at the lower ends of said blades. said ring having an opening registering with the outlet of said passageway and forming an inlet to the impeller, said blades discharging laterally into the beginning of said passageway.

5. In a doughnut machine, means forming an open way along which the doughnuts are progressed' through circulation of the cooking liquid, the end of the way being at a lower elevation than the beginning of the way, means forming a vertically extending closed passageway disposed at the locality of the end of the way, said passageway having a circular outlet, a ramp leading upwardly from `said outlet to the beginning of said way, a vertically extending shaft concentric with said outlet, an impeller carried by said shaft and having a, plurality of circumferentially disposed -blades encircling said outlet at a lo' cality above the same, said blades extending in an up and down direction, said blades discharging laterally against said ramp to procure pro- -edges thereof, said bladesdischarging into the simpeller :carriedzbysaid.shaft;:and: having .afplurality of circumferentiallydisposed blades `enreircling 1 said. .outletfat' a localityf; above. the same, said z-bladesaextending `iwan .upzandudown direc- ..tion,; said, .blades having substantially \spiralling surfaces extending outwardly in'a.dir.ection .opoposite tmthe/direction-ofi rotation oflv the im- Apeller, said limpeller discharging laterallyinto .ztheifbeginning of thecway.

7.?.Inzaf`doughnutzmachine, :means forming an slopen away.: along` which the` doughnuts areprdzzgresseduthrou'gh circulation vof vthe cooking liquid,:meansforming a vertically extending closed *.:passa'gewayirbetweenrthe beginning and end of f said Way having" a` circular-outlet,y a vertically @extending shaft'concentric with said outlet,l an zimpeller .carried -bysaidV shaft and having a plu- `lrality -of= circumferentially disposed blades enf. circling said outlet at a locality'above the same,

Ysaid blades: extending -in an up-and down direcf tion and a plate at the uppermost ends of said iiblades, saidwplateprojecting Aoutwardly beyond L the outermostV edges-ofsaid blades and having an 'underrsurface' .beyond the'bla'des lying vin a plane iat right anglesto' theiaxisof said shaft.

83Inaai doughnut machine,` means' forming an openwwayvalong Awhich the doughnuts are pror'gressed'through'circulation-'of the cooking liquid; zmeans' for-minga vvertically extending closed -passageway'betvveenntl'iefbeginning and end of saidfway' having a circularoutlet, a vertically extending shaft lconcentric with said' outlet, an -impeller carried by said shaft and4 having aiplurality of circumferentially disposed blades enoir'clingsaid' outlet at a locality above the same, "said'iblades extending in an upl and down direcition, .az-plateat thexuppermost ends1of said fblades, saidlplate: projectingmutwardly beyond the outermost "edgesy of saidibladeseand Ahaving `an under .surface1.;beyond the;blades "lyingina plane at right angles tothe: axis of said shaftand'means forming-.i a substantially :conical surface` `Within the impeller leading up to the planefsurface of .the plate.

; 9.Circulating-means forgdoughnut machines in which. the .doughnuts .areprogressed. along a Way 'through circulation Az-ofuthecooking liquid, said circulating1 .means :including a vertically extendfingdriven shaft animpeller carried by Said shaft andimmersedrwithin thescooking liquid,4 said imvpellerr havingwa :blade arranged anup and down-direction outwardly'oi` theA axisof the shaft .with opposed edgesearrangedcat different distances from thezshaftithe innermost edge vofY the blade beingdisposed inadvance. of a radius .extending.. through the outermostfedgeof the blade, said. blade/.actingon the) cooking .-liquidto `produce minimum circulatory .movement thereof .and .to reduce agitation.

. l0. Circulating imeans for ldoughnutfmachines .in .Whichthe doughnuts-are, progressedy .along a \vay...through circulationaof the cooking liquid, said circulating means-including afvertically eX- tendingdrivenshaft, an impeller carried bysaid shaftand .immersed .within ,the cooking liquid, said impeller, havinga blade arranged. infanup and.. down. direction:outwardly .ofthe axis -of the .shaftand formed,with...a:leading and .a trailing edge, the .leadingedge ,of..said blade being disposed inwardly of the trailing-edgethereoi.

WILLIAM. R.- COYNE. 

